Passion, prejudice, or power, may so far blind a man as not to suffer
him justly to distinguish whether he is not acting injuriously at the
same time that he fancies he is only doing his duty. Now the best way
of being convinced, whether what we do is reasonable and fit, is to put
ourselves in the place of the persons with whom we are concerned, and
then consult our conscience about the rectitude of our behaviour. For
this we may be assured of, that we are acting wrong whenever we are
doing any thing to another which we should think unjust if it was done
to us. Nothing but an habitual inadvertency, as to this particular, can
be the occasion that so many ingenious noble spirits are often engaged
in courses so opposite to virtue and honour. He that would startle, if a
little attorney should tamper with him to forswear himself, to bring off
some small offender, some ordinary trespasser, will, without scruple,
infringe the constitution of his country for the precarious prospect of
a place or a pension. Which is most corrupt, he that lies, like a knight
of the post, for half-a-crown and a dinner, or he that does it for the
more substantial consideration of a thousand pounds a year? Which would
be doing most service to the public, giving true testimony in a cause
between two private men, and against one little common thief who has
stolen a gold watch; or voting honestly and courageously against a rogue
of state, who has gagged and bound the laws, and stripped the nation?
Let those who intend to act justly, but view things in this light, and
all would be well. There would be no danger of their oppressing others,
or fear of being oppressed themselves.